61 HIV children removed from school: Minister

Government on Friday said 61 children infected by HIV were removed from schools during 2008, 2009 and 2010 as per the data available with National Aids Control Organisation (NACO).

In a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state in the human resource development ministry D Purandeswari also shared state-wise data of such incidents.

As per the data, 27 incidents of children being removed from school after HIV was detected were found in Andhra Pradesh while 13 such incidents had occurred in West Bengal in the years 2008 to 2010.

Nine children had been removed from school after detection of HIV in Haryana while four such incidents had been recorded in Gujarat and Kerala. Three incidents in Uttar Pradesh and one in Maharashtra were also recorded.

"As far as the Central Board of Secondary Education is concerned, it has issued advisory to its affiliated schools to sensitize them for creation of a healthy atmosphere to prevent discrimination of children living with HIV," Purandeswari added.